


1 New Message

by Dandy



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 00:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16843192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandy/pseuds/Dandy
Summary: Rei is caught texting in class.





	1 New Message

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the Sports Anime Shipping Olympics 2015. The prompt was:
> 
> “I’m out of my element with emoji
> 
> But when they’re from you, I get excited
> 
> ‘You shouldn’t reply right away’
> 
> I’ve heard that from someone, but
> 
> I can’t use strategies like that with you…I love you”
> 
> -“CHER.R.Y” - YUI

Never once, in almost seventeen years of life, had Rei’s parents had to reprimand him for being on his phone when he shouldn’t be.

Never once until now, his mother and father standing in front of him while he sits in a kitchen chair, red to the tips of his ears, waiting for one of them to announce his punishment.

As it is, his parents have no idea how to punish him. After his brother, Rei was the good kid, always minding his manners and paying attention in class and being the obedient child everyone wanted to have. But his mother had been called during her lunch break and informed that Rei’s phone had been confiscated and she would need to come pick it up if he wanted it back, with a warning not to have it out in class again.

“I really just don’t know what to say, Rei,” says his mother finally, truthfully, and though she sounds confused rather than angry he still flinches. He doesn’t know how to be in trouble any more than they know how to scold him. “You’ve never done anything like this before.”

“I know, and I’m very sorry,” says Rei, eyes on his hands. He really does feel bad about this, and embarrassed, but mostly he wants to end the suspense and receive his punishment, and he hopes more than anything that it’s something other than taking his phone away. “It won’t happen again.”

“I’m still trying to understand why it happened the first time,” says his father, and Rei flinches again. “Who were you texting in class?”

“I… I was just… I was discussing a new training regimen with Gou-san!” he finally excuses, hoping desperately that they’ll buy it.

Predictably, they don’t.

“Discussing a training regimen in class? Why didn’t you just wait until after school?” asks his father.

“This is very unlike you, Rei,” says his mother.

“Why don’t you just read his texts and find out?”

If looks could kill, Rei’s older brother would surely be stone cold and decomposing on the couch, but as it is he only answers Rei’s furious look with a smirk, adding insult to injury by waving his own phone in Rei’s direction.

“We won’t do that if Rei is telling us the truth.” Rei’s mother looks into his eyes. “You are telling us the truth, aren’t you?”

Rei gulps. “I-”

He’s cut off by his phone suddenly giving a short ring - a text message. Rei watches in horror as his father looks at the phone instinctively, reading the text aloud.

“How’s it going with your parents, Rei-chan? Let me know when you get your phone back. Smiley face, X O X O, less than three.”

“That’s a heart, dear.”

Rei’s face somehow manages to grow redder. HIs brother erupts into laughter.

“This text is from Nagisa-kun,” says his father, ignoring his oldest son’s antics from the couch. Rei’s mother is giving him a knowing smile and Rei can’t look at either of them. “Was he who you were texting in class?”

“Texting your boyfriend instead of paying attention, Rei? Shameful!” calls his brother, and Rei gives him another would-be-deadly look.

“Rei?” prompts his mother, and Rei sighs and covers his face with a dramatic, sweeping gesture.

“Yes, I admit it. I was texting Nagisa-kun in class.”

“Awwww,” says his older brother. Rei wonders what nasty but non-life-threatening chemical combinations he’s learned from chemistry class.

“Rei,” says his mother, after giving her older son a look that says to quiet down, “I know Nagisa-kun is your first boyfriend and you’re very excited about it, but texting in class is still irresponsible behavior.”

“I know,” Rei agrees, making another sweeping gesture. “It was very rude of me to do so. I’m ashamed of myself!”

“And you won’t do it again?” asks his father.

Rei shakes his head fervently. “No, never.”

His parents look at each other, as though holding a telepathic conversation, and then his father holds his phone back out to him.

Rei’s eyes widen in shock. “Really?”

“Just don’t do it again, alright, Rei?” says his mother, and Rei nods again.

“I won’t. Thank you, Mother, Father.”

His parents just smile at him. His mother nods at the phone. “You’d better answer him back.”

“Yes. Of course.”

As Rei disappears into his room, he can hear his brother complaining that he was grounded for a week last time he was caught in class with his phone. “Yes,” his mother was saying, “but that’s because you called your teacher ugly in your last text.”

Uninterested in the rest of the conversation, Rei sits down in his desk chair and opens up the text from Nagisa.

“It went well. I got my phone back.”

The phone rings almost immediately, and Rei can’t help but smile at the reply.

“See???? I TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE FINE!!! I’m glad you can still text me, Rei-chan. <3”

“I’m glad too, Nagisa-kun. <3”

* * *

Two days later, Rei is in a class he doesn’t share with his boyfriend, taking very detailed notes, when the phone in his pocket buzzes.

He reminds himself of the incident, tells himself that there’s no reason to check the phone now - he can read Nagisa’s text during break.

He glances up at the clock on the wall. Thirty minutes until class is over. That’s not very long. He can wait until then to read Nagisa’s text. He doesn’t have to know what his boyfriend sent to him immediately. He has self control!

After two minutes, Rei feels his hand reaching into his pocket. He glances around to make sure no one is paying him any attention.

Well, a quick peek couldn’t hurt, right?


End file.
